Gun-carrying torpedo



R: L. WRIGHT GUN CARRYING TORPEDO Oct. 12 1926. 1,603,098

Filed Feb. 27' 1918 Patented ct. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFC.

ROBERT LEE WRIGHT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNA; WLLIE CROCKETT WRIGHTADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID ROBERT LEE WRIGHT, DECEASED.

GUN-CARRYING TORPEDO.

Application filed February 27, 1918. Serial No. 219,391.

rthis invention has relation to agun carrying torpedo and has for anobject to provide a torpedo shell having a gun mounted therein andcarrying a cart-ridge and projectile, the latter having a firing pin eX-tending beyond the shell of the torpedo whereby upon engagement of thetarget the shell may be discharged and the projectile lired.

.ftnothcr object of the invention is to provide a gun carrying torpedoof the character above described including in addition there/.o asupplementary tiring pin extending beyond the torpedo shell and havingmeans operable thereby to discharge an explosive carried within thetorpedo shell.y

ik still further object of the invention is to provide a gun carryingtorpedo having a ilfrangible nose normally covering the muzzle ol: thegun but adapted to be ruptured upon the discharge of the firstprojectile.

lilith these and other objects in view, the :invention consists in thenovel details of construction and combination of parts more fullyhereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification in which like numerals designate like parts in all theviews:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a gun or rifle and torpedocombined, con-v structed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. is a sectional view of the forward part of a torpedo embodying myinvention. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of theinvention.

-i a simiiar view of another modification.

Fig. 5 is a section on line mm of Fig. and Figs. 6 and 7 are views of amodified former nose for the torpedo.

ll' 8 is a view of a gun shell, rifie shell, caiurldge, projectile ortorpedo nose or pointer, with a plurality of bombs or explosives, asshown in drawings and more fully described in other views in thedrawings and other places in this specification.

in the drawings forming a part of this specification, like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of thedrawings:

A torpedo of the customary shape is indicated by 1 provided with a longslender pointed rod or firing pin 2 projecting through a cap 3 on thefront of the torpedo body, said cap 3 being kerfed so that the cap willbreak up upon shock. A supplemental striking pin 4 projects through theforward end of the torpedo 1 and is connected to a lever 5 whichoperates a tiring pin G against the action of a spring G for exploding acap i" to fire the torpedo charge. n p A gun 8 is embedded and mountedin the 65 bow of the torpedo 1, said gun being provided with a breechblock 9 behind the cartridge S. The shell S is provided with the longslender rod Q. which extends through the shell and projectile, heldtherein for slight longitudinal movement and which projects through thecap 3.

The torpedo is provided with diving wings 10 mounted on short shafts 11provided with cranks connected to pitman 12 attached to a crank disk 13driven from a motor 14;, from a storage battery 15 as shown.

A timing mechanism 16 controls the current for firing the gun through aconduit and insulated conduit 18 to the cap 1a.

The torpedo may be made to dive at certain predetermined times and alsoto fire the gun olf just before the torpedo is to strike, which shothits the 4Ship or object and opens c; the way in the ship or object andalso opens the way in the water for the better striking of said torpedo.It will also be apparent that the charge within the cart-ridge may beexploded upon engagement of the rod 2 with the target, thereby causingthe discharge of the projectile held within the cartridge S, theprojectile carrying the rod or tiring pin with it.

The cap 3 will break up when the gun is 95 tired letting the shell outeasily.

In `Fig. 3, I have the rod 2a hinged at 20, and hollow to accommodate aholding rod 21, connected by a pitman 22, with a crank disk Q3 driven bya motor 2a controlled by a timing device from a storage battery 26. Uponproper timing, the rod may be withdrawn when desired, thereby causingthe rod 2 to incline downward and cause the torpedo to dive as desired.

Figs. 6 and 7 show another method of CII controlling the divingqualities of the torpedo.

The nose Q is provided with an adjustable hinge secured by a bolt 2d andthe angie of inclination of the forward part of the nose or projection 2may set as desired.

The adjustable hinge is preferably provided with a scale F showing theangle to set the nose, projection or pointer -to make it dive, rise orturn around certain degrees per mile and to facilitate the setting ofthe nose or projection 2C at the proper 1nclin'ation. The nose orprojection 2C may be used on all the other figures instead of the noseor projection 2, 2a and 2h, and may be secured to the forward end of thegun barrel as shown in Figure 8, and Fig- A ures l, 2, 3, and 4, or anysuitable way desired.

ln Figs. 4 and 5 a torpedo fitted with a magazine gun 8'JL is shown,this gun being provided with a cylinder magazine 26, having` gear teethcut upon its periphery and meshing with a gear 2T upon a shaft 28, saidshaft being provided with a pinion 29 upon its opposite end and a boxing291.

The pinion 29 meshes with a mutilated .gear 30 upon a shaft 3l, and theshaft 3l is provided with strikers 32 to engage a lug on the firing pin34;, said ring pin having associated therewith a main spring 35.

The cylinder 2G is mounted upon trunnions QG and pockets 2G" to hold thefiring charge or cartridge 2PC, the shells of which are provided withattenuated noses 26d.

The point of the first shell extends through the cap 3 and forms thepoint of the gun and torpedo combined. In Figure S, a Vnose orprojection is shown at 2" carrying bombs as indicated at l); a firingpin is shown at P1; a spring holding the firing pin in position isindicated at P2; a cap and fuse are shown -at P3; an explosive charge inthe bombs is shown at P the point closing the forward end of the gunbarrel is indicated at 8 and this nose or projection carrying theexplosive charges may be used on all of the other figures from l lto 7inclusive instead of on the nose or projection shown in said figures,and may also be used on the forward end of all projectiles and shells.The adjustable hinge, bolt 2d, and scale F, shown in Figures 6 and 7,may also be used on this nose or projection 2b.

Thegun and torpedo combined may be driven in any suitable manner by anyap proved mechanism, preferably in the same well known way that alltorpedoes are moved or driven. The shaft 3l is driven by a motor 32,controlled by a timer 33, from a suitable storage battery.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of theconstruction as `well as the arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention and therefore I do not wish to be limited tothe above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

lVliat I claim is l. The combination of a torpedo, a gun carriedthereby, a projectile and firing charge within the gun, time Controlledmeans for igniting said charge, a second charge carried by the torpedo,a movable firing pin extending beyond the point of the torpedo, andmeansoperable upon engagement of said pin with the target to ignite thesecond cl'iarge.

The combination of a torpedo, a gun carried thereby, a projectile andcharge within the l gun, a firing pin extending through said charge,projectile and beyond the point of the torpedo adapted when en gagedagainst the target to ignite the charge, a second charge carried by thetorpedo, a supplementary. firing pin extending through the torpedo andbeyond the point thereof, and means operable upon engagement of thesupplementary firing pin with the target to ignite the second charge.

The lcon'ibinationof a torpedo, a gun barrel carried thereby, aprojectile and charge within the gun, a tiring pin extending through theprojectile and beyond the point of a torpedo and adapted when engagingthe target to ignite the charge, and auxiliary timecontrol means forigniting said charge, a second charge carried by the torpedo, asuj'iplementary firing pin extending through the torpedo andsubstantially parallel to the first firing pin, and means operable uponengagement of the second firing pin with the target to ignite the secondcharge.

A torpedo carrying a charge, a firing piu inovably mounted therein andextending beyond the point thereof, a lever mounted within the torpedoand pivotally connected to the rear end of said firing pin, a percussion arp, and means pi'vota'lly connected to said lever and adapted toengage and ignite the percussion cap upon engagement of a firing pinwith a target.

5. The combination of a torpedo, a gun carried thereby, a projectile andcharge within the gun, a firing pin for igniting the charge extendingthrough the projectile and carried thereby and beyond the point of atorpedo, the forward end of said firing pin being formed in relativelymovable sections, and meansfor securing said sections against relativemovement.

(3. The combination of a torpedo, a gun barrel carried thereby, aprojectile and firing charge within the gun, a firing pin dividedadjacent one end into a pair of relative movable sections, the adjacentends being enlarged and having their adjacent faces serrated., a boltconnecting said enlargements adapted when tightened to retain the sections in any position subsequent to adjustment thereof, the rearmostsection of the firing pin extending into the projectile and carriedthereby and adapted to fire the charge when the opposite end of thefiring pin is engaged against a target.

7. The combination of a torpedo,Y a gun carried thereby, a rotatablymounted barrel forming part of the gun, a projectile and iiring chargemounted in one opening of the barrel, a slender rod carried by saidprojectile, extending through the barrel and gun and beyond the point ofthe projectile, said rod when engaged against the target adapted toignite the charge and propel the project-ile, a plurality of cartridgescarried by t-he barrel, means for intermittently rotating said barrel,and means for successi vely discharging the cartridges.

S. The combination of a torpedo, a gun carried thereby, a revolvingcartridge carrying barrel forming part of a gun, cartridges mounted insaid barrel, a gear carried by said barrel, a second gear having itsteeth mutilated at uniformly spaced points, means for transmittingmot-ion between the second gear and the first gear to intermittentlyrevolve the barrel, and means operable by rotation of the second gearfor successively discharging the cartridges.

9. A torpedo ha 'ing a gun barrel, a frangible cap closing the endthereof, a cartridge containing barrel rotatably mounted and carrying anumber of cartridges, and means for rotating the barrel and forsuccessively discharging the cartridges.

10. A power driven gun and torpedo coinbined with a long slim attenuatedadjustable point made in a way to adjust the point to cause the gun andtorpedo combined to dive, rise or turn as desired by adjusting saidpoint, and means to automatically fire the gun and torpedo combined at apredetermined time.

11. A power driven gun and torpedo combined with a magazine and means tomove the annnunition in the magazine in position to be fired through thebarrel of the gunand torpedo combined and lire same from the gun andtorpedo combined at a predetermined time.

12. A gun having a barrel, said gun being adapted to be operated as atorpedo, the forward end of said barrel being closed, a projectionsecured to said closed forward end and said projection extending axiallyand in alineinentwith the center of the barrel of said gun and means toadjust said projection in a way to cause said gun to dive, rise or turn.

13. A gun having a barrel, said gun being adapted to be operated as atorpedo, the forwe rd end of said barrel being closed, a projectionsecured to said closed forward end and said projection extending axiallyand in :ilinement with the center of the barrel of said gun, saidprojection carrying an explosive charge, and means to ignite saidexplosive charge carried by said projection.

141. A gun having a barrel, said gun adapted to be operated as atorpedo, the forward end of said barrel being closed, projection securedto said closed forward end, said projection extending axially andcarrying an explosive charge and means to ignite said explosive chargecarried by said projection.

A gun having a barrel, said gun adapted to be operated as a torpedo, theforwai'd end of said barrel being closed, a projection secured to saidclosed forward end, said projection extending axially and carrying anexplosive charge, means to ignite said explosive charge carried by saidprojection and means to iire said gun.

16. A gun having a barrel, the forward end of said barrel being closed,a projection carrying an explosive charge secured to said closed forwardend extending axially, means to ignite said explosive charge carried bysaid projection and means to lire said gun.

17. A gun having a barrel, the forward end of said barrel being closed,a projection carrying a plurality of explosive charges secured to saidclosed forward end extending axially, and means to ignite said pluralityof explosive charges carried by said projection. i

18. A gun having a barrel, said gun being adapted to be operated as atorpedo, the forward-end of said barrel being closed, a projectionsecured to said closed forward end, said projection extending straightforward from the center of said closed forward end of the gun barrel andmeans to adjust said projection in a way to cause said gun t dive, riseor turn at certain degrees per mile.

19. .A gun having a barrel, said gun being adapted to be operated as atorpedo, the forward end of said barrel being closed, a projectionsecured to said cl-osed forward end, said projection extending straightforward from the center of said closed forward end of the gun barrel anda scale providing means to denote certain degrees per mile said gun maydive, rise or turn by adjusting said projection at an angle.

20. A gun operated on water, said gun havingabarrel, the forward end ofsaid bar-- rel being closed, a projection secured to said closed forwardend, said projection extending straight forward from the center of saidclosed forward end of the gun barrel and means to set said projection atan angle to cause said gun to dive, rise or turn.

21. A gun operated on water, said gun having a barrel, the forward endof said barrel being closed, a projection secured to said closed forwardend, said projection extending straight forward from the center of saidclosed forward end of the gun bar-- rel and means to set said projectionat an angle to canse said gun to dive, rise or turn at certain degreesper mile.

22. A gun `operated on water., said gun havinga barrel, the forward endof said barrel being closed, a projection secured `to said closedforward end, said projection extending straight forward from the centerof said closed forward end and means to set said projection at an angleto cause said gun to dive, rise or turn.

A gun operated on* water, `said gun having a projection secured to theforward end of the barrel of said gun, said `projection extendingstraight forward from the centerof said forward end and means to setsaidrprojection -at an angle to cause :sai-d gun to dive,raiseioritnrn'aticertain degrees per mile.

24C. A' gun operatedjon water and means to lanse said gun `todive,-riseor iturn by operating means on the forward end of said gun. 4

25. A gun operated `on water and means to cause said gun to dive, riseor turn at certain degrees per mile., by operating -a projection on theforward end of said gun.

26. A gun andtorpedo vcombined operated on water, a projection carryinga pluralitv of explosive charges with the rear end of said projectionsecured to the forward end of the gun and torpedo combined, and theIremainder of: said `projection entendi-ufr straight forwardrfrom saidforward end or the gun and torpedo combined.

27. A gun and torpedo combined moved on water, a projection `carrying anexplosive charge witlrtlie rear end of said projection seeuredito thekforward end of the gun and torpedocombined and the remainder-of saidprojection extending straight forward from .sa-id forward end.

28. A .gun and torpedocombined having a `projection carrying anexplosive charge, the rear end lof saidprojectioirsecuredto `the forwardend ofthe Vgun and torpedo combined `and `the lremainder -of saidprojection extending straight forward from said forward end, andmeans:to set said )projection at a suitable angle to cause said gun andtorpedo combined to dive, nise and :turn` at certain degrees per mile.

29. A gun and ltorpedocombined having a Vprojection :carrying apluralityof explosive charges, the rear end "of said projection securedto the forward end of the gun and torpedo combined andtheremainderlofisaid projection extending-straight ,forward from saidforward `end,meansto move the gun and torpedo combined fon water, andmeans to set said 4projectionat a suitable angle to cause `said gun andtorpedo Acombined to dive, `rise and turn at certain :degrees per mile.

30. A gun and torpedo combined carry-- inga lprojection .on its nose, anexplosive charge secured 1n said projection, la contact dive, rise 4andturn.

1.31. A gun and torpedo combined having a lprojection extending straightforward from its yforma-incl end, vsaid projection carrying a pluralityof explosive charges, .a contact tiring pin `andV percussion-cap securedin the forward part `ofi-said projection, and means :to .set `said`projection at `a suitable angle to cause said gun 4and torpedo.combined :to dive, rise and turn while being moved on water.

32- A gun and torpedo combined carrying on .its front ,an explosivecharge and a firing device vadapted to explode thecharge infront of thegun and torpedo combined and .then eXDlode a .charge in the gun andtorpedo combi-ned.

33. A gun ,and torpedo combined having an extension .on its noselcarrying a series of explosivecharges .a-nd lmeans for exploding theseries of .charges 34. A gun and torpedo combined, a projection adapted-to be secu-red in the nose ofthe gun `and torpedo combined, saidprojection `lia-ving cavities adapted lto hold explosive charges v.andmeans for exploding the charges.

35. A gun and torpedo combined having apart -for holding and explodingra charge in front of :the gun and torpedo combined, and having a partfor holding a charge within the gun and torpedo combined, and

means for comn'iunicating `between fthe two 4 parts.

36. A `gun and torpedoloombined ycarrying an explosive charge in frontof the gun and torpedo combined, and an explosive charge within fthe gunand torpedo combined, means :to ignite the@ .explosive charge in frontofthe lgun `andLtorpedo combined and means to ignite the explosivecharge in the gun :and torpedo combined.

37. A gun and torpedo combined, having means on its front for carryingan explosive oharge communicating with a charge in the'gnn and torpedocombined to explode it.

A gun ,and .torpedo combined having means on its front for carrying anexplosive rcharge communicating `with a charge in the fgunand torpedocombined to explode it, and means to set said means at an angle to`direct the course-of the gun and torpedo combined.

39. A gunand torpedo combined having a ,projection on lits nose carryingva Series of explosive charges, means for exploding the series of`charges,and,means to set said projection at a suitable angle to directthe course of said gun and torpedo combined.

flO. A torpedo having a projection on its nose carrying a series ofexplosive charges, means for exploding the series of charges, and meansto set said projection at a suitable angle to direct the course of saidtorpedo.

tl. A gun and torpedo combined having a projection extending outstraight forward from the center of its forward end carrying a pluralityof explosive charges in said projection, means for exploding theplurality of explosive charges, and means to set said projection at asuitable angle to direct the course of said gun and torpedo combined.

42. A torpedo having a projection extending ont straight forward fromthe center of its forward end carrylng a plurality of explosive chargesin said projection, means for exploding the plurality of explosivecharges, and means to set said pro jeotion at a suitable angle to directthe course of said torpedo.

A gun and torpedo combined having a projection extending out straightforward from the center of its forward end carrying an explosive chargein said projection, means for exploding said explosive charge, and meansto set said projection at a suitable angle to direct the course of saidgun and torpedo combined.

44. A torpedo having a projection extending out from the center of itsforward end carrying an explosive charge in'said projection, means forexploding the explosive charge, and means to set said projection at asuitable angle to direct the course of said torpedo.

45. A torpedo having a projection extending ont from the center of itsforward end carrying an explosive charge in said projection, means forexploding the explosive charge, and means to set said projection at asuitable angle to canse the torpedo to dive, rise and turn at certaindegrees per mile while said torpedo is being operated on water.

46. A torpedo having a. projection extending ont from the center of itsforward end carrying aplurality of explosive charges in said projection,means for exploding the plurality of explosive charges, and means to setsaid projection at a suitable angle to cause the torpedo to dive, riseand turn at certain degrees per mile while said torpedo is beingoperated on water.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT LEE WRIGHT.

